Nine Months of Hell
by laellin
Summary: Shikamaru isn't sure who is suffering more; him or Temari. Short story about Temari's pregnancy.
1. Finding Out

"Temari?!" Ino yelled as she saw her friend fall to the ground. The two had been out on their morning run when suddenly Temari just passed out. She had only been out for a few seconds, but it still worried her friend. "Temari! Are you okay?!" She asked frantically.

"I.. I think so? I'm not sure. What happened?" She replied to her friend. She was completely confused.

"I have no idea. You were fine one minute and the next you were passed out on the ground." Temari sat up quickly and her hands immediately went to her abdomen. "Okay, maybe we should pay Sakura a visit. Can you walk?" She stood up, ignoring the pain in her stomach.

"I'm fine, Ino. You're being over dramatic." Temari felt a wave of dizziness crash over her. "I think I'll just go home. I have stuff to do anyway." Ino rolled her eyes.

"Temari, I think you need to go to the hospital. But, you're a grown woman so I cannot force you to go. I will walk you home though. And I'm sure Shikamaru will agree with me that you need to go to the doctor." Temari rolled her eyes now.

"Don't tell Shikamaru. I really am fine. He'll just be annoying about it." The two made it to her home with casual talk the rest of the way. "Okay, thanks, Ino. See you in the morning." She said, hoping the other woman would back off and leave her alone. It was a fail. She walked her up to the door and then opened it. Luckily for Ino Shikamaru had had the day off. She yelled right when she got inside.

"Shikamaru! Temari needs to see a doctor!" He marched out of his home office and looked at the two. From what he could see she was fine. "She passed out on our run and now is pretending that I don't notice that shes in pain. She won't listen to me though.

"Ino, I'm going to kill you-" She paused when she started getting dizzy again. Temari leaned on the wall of her entry way and her husband and friend were by her side immediately.

"You're going. No arguing." Shikamaru spoke in what seemed like a harsh tone to some but the two women knew he was just worried. He quickly put his shoes on and wrapped his arm around her waist, leading her towards the hospital.

Their walk there took longer than normal considering the circumstances, but once they arrived they were greeted by Sakura in the lobby. "Temari?" She spoke as she saw her. "What happened?!" She asked as she waved another nurse over with a wheelchair.

"I'm fine, you're all just being over dramatic." Temari growled as she was shoved into the wheelchair. Sakura waved at the nurse to follow her with Temari. Shikamaru followed of course, filling Sakura in on what happened. Ino decided that she should wait in the hallway in case they needed her, but also so she wasn't in the way.

They made it into the room and Sakura and Shikamaru helped her onto the examining bed. Temari kept rambling on about how she was fine and didn't need to be here. It was really pissing Shikamaru off. "Temari," He spoke in the same tone he's had the whole time. The two women looked at him. "Shut up." Both of them were shocked. Shikamaru never dared tell Temari to shut up and she wasn't really sure how to react. Typically, she would have done the opposite. This time she knew he was serious and knew whatever was happening was stressing him out so she complied.

"Okay, Temari, I'm going to ask you some questions." Temari nodded. "How long have you been feeling off?" She shrugged.

"A week or two maybe?" Shikamaru's eyes widened.

"Seriously?! You didn't tell me?" She looked away from him while Sakura gave him a dirty look. He sighed and backed off.

"Has this ever happened before?" She shook her head no. "Does your family have a history of illness with these side effects?" Another no. "Okay, how was your mothers health during pregnancy?" The two of them looked at her with concern.

"I mean, she died after giving birth to Gaara. But I'm pretty sure that only had to do with Shukaku being sealed inside him." Sakura nodded.

"Alright then. We need to do some blood tests if that's alright with you." Shikamaru nodded and Sakura glared at him again before looking back at Temari. "Temari..."

"I guess. Do whatever makes you feel better." Sakura smiled and nodded before exiting the room. There was an awkward silence between the two. Shikamaru was trying to make eye contact with her, but Temari didn't want to look at him.

"What are we going to do?" He finally asked. As even and normal as his tone had seemed she was able to spot that it had a hint of worry in it. She shrugged her shoulders. He sighed.

"I don't know. What if I am pregnant? What are we going to do? I have to work, I can't just quit because of a stupid accident like this. I know you want kids and I know eventually I'll have to have one for the clans sake, but I don't think I'm ready. Do we even know how to be parents?" She finally looked at him. He had a soft smile on his face and some sadness in his eyes.

"Temari, no matter what happens we'll get through it. I mean, we've been through a war together and survived. Surely we can take care of a baby." She nodded to him.

A few hours passed by and the results were in. Sakura rejoined them in their room. "Well, it's positive for HCG which means you are for sure pregnant. Congrats you two! It seems as if all of our friends will be having babies at the same time." She smiled to them. "Now, Temari, I'll have some paperwork for you to fill out and then you'll be released. Remember to take it easy." She handed her the clipboard with the paperwork and walked to the door. "I should be at the front desk when you're done.

* * *

Ino was waiting patiently in the waiting room. When the couple appeared she rushed over to them. "Are you okay?" Temari nodded and smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just got dehydrated. Thanks for taking care of me." Ino smiled at the woman and pulled her in for a hug. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"You didn't need to wait that long for us.." Temari elbowed him but Ino spoke before Temari could.

"You should really be thanking me, Shika. She could have got really sick if she hadn't have come in today." He rolled his eyes again.

"Whatever, thanks." The two women giggled.

"Well, you should probably go home and rest now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I'll see you two later!" Ino waved with a big smile on her face as she left the hospital.

"She's onto us." He spoke. Temari raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"She could tell that you're lying and now I need to basically shut off any thoughts of whats going on before she intrudes my mind and finds out. Once she knows, everyone in the village will know." Temari sighed. "I figured you'd want to tell your brother before they find out from someone else. Same with my mom." She nodded.

"Okay, but before we do that how about we just go home and nap?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, there's definitely something wrong with you." She rolled her eyes and Shikamaru pulled her into a hug. "I'm so excited." He whispered into her ear before they left the hospital.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! This will probably only have two more chapters. Please let me know what you think!**


	2. Months 1-3

Month One:

The first month of pregnancy was fine after they had figured out exactly what was wrong with Temari. Shikamaru was as excited as he could possibly be. The thought of being a father made him happier than anything ever had before. He knew he wanted to be one one day but wasn't expecting it to be so soon. It was hard for him to keep it a secret.

But, he and Temari both agreed that they wanted to make sure their families knew before anyone else. So, a week later Temari's brothers were in town for a Kage meeting. They had been invited over for dinner along with Shikamaru's mother, Yoshino.

Gaara and Kankuro loved Yoshino. She was the only mother figure they had ever had in their lives and they took full advantage of that. Anytime they were in the village, they were sure to stop by her place for a meal. She, of course, loved having them visit. Yoshino was someone who liked a big family and a busy house. And since Shikaku had passed and Shikamaru had moved out, she had been quite lonely. So anytime she had a visitor or two, it would make her day.

The three guest had shown up to their house and everyone hugged. Dinner had started off normal. Normal conversations. Everyone was just catching up with each other. Yoshino asked the boys how Suna was and if they were taking care of themselves. "So, sis, anything knew with the two of you?" Kankuro asked, realizing the two of them had been very quiet.

Temari and Shikamaru exchanged glances. "Yes, actually, that's why we wanted to have dinner as soon as possible." Temari started. She smiled nervously. Kankuro raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you acting so weird?" He asked. All eyes were on the couple. Shikamaru rubber her back with one of his hands and looked at her. She wanted to be the one to tell them, he was just moral support at the moment.

And Temari wasn't really quite sure why she was so nervous. She knew they would all be happy, but for some reason she was second guessing that. "Well," She started again, this time taking a deep breath. "Uh.. well, Shikamaru and I are going to be parents." It was silent. Temari felt like she was going to start panicking, but calmed down when Yoshino pulled Shikamaru into a hug. She was crying.

"I'm so happy for you two!" She yelled, still holding on very tightly to her son. The two brothers got up and went over to Temari, pulling her into a hug as well.

"I'm going to be an uncle?" Gaara asked. Temari nodded.

"Oh HELL yes! I can't wait to babysit." Kankuro yelled with an evil look on his face. Shikamaru's eye widened at the thought of leaving his child alone with Kankuro.

And so, the evening went on with nothing but smiles.

Month Two:

The couple decided it was time to let their friends in on their secret. They started with their closest friends, Ino, Sai, Choji, and Karui. They had met for their weekly dinner. This week it was Yakiniku Q, the Ino-Shika-Cho's favorite place. Ino could tell immediately that something was off, but she didn't say anything. Dinner started off fine. They all talked about missions they had gone on recently.

When it came time for Shikamaru to share some stories, he got kind of quiet. He had remembered what exactly what news they were telling their friends. Shikamaru had asked if he could be the one to tell them since Temari got to tell their family. Obviously, she didn't mind. She too was nervous only because once one of them got pregnant, the other two had to as well. It was a tradition in their clans and she didn't want to be the one to ruin that tradition. Temari and Shikamaru were both hoping the others were ready to have kids since they hadn't even discussed it as a group yet. Temari and Shikamaru didn't even mean for this to happen.

He cleared his throat and looked at Temari before looking at everyone else. Ino was leaned in a little more than everyone else, wondering if her suspicions were correct. "Well, I know we haven't talked about this as a group. And it wasn't something we really planned so we really are sorry if this causes any issues. But, we found out a few weeks ago that Temari is pregnant." Ino screamed as soon as the words left his mouth.

"I knew it!" She pulled Shikamaru into an even tighter hug than his own mother. Choji turned to Temari and gave her a hug.

"Congrats you two!" Sai spoke in a kind voice. After everyone had settled down, Choji and Karui looked at each other before Karui spoke.

"Well, since we found that out might as well tell you guys our secret. I'm pregnant too!" Ino screamed again. Shikamaru was sure the whole restaurant was questioning what was happening.

"Sai, we need to go!" Ino exclaimed after dinner had finished.

"Why are we in such a rush?" He asked his wife. She stood up and grabbed his hand.

"I need to get pregnant now!" Shikamaru covered his face and everyone else laughed.

Month Three:

Temari wanted to visit her original home for the last time for awhile. Pretty soon she wouldn't be able to travel because of her pregnancy and then she probably wouldn't be able to travel because of the baby. So, Shikamaru took off work to travel with his pregnant wife three days only to end up in the desert.

And as much as Shikamaru loved his wife and brother-in-laws, he much preferred Konoha. Not to mention a lot of the Sunan villagers didn't quite like him very much. They all think he stole their princess from him as if she would do anything against her own will. He scoffed at the thought.

However, some of the villagers had taken quite a liking to him. They would always greet him with a smile or occasionally a hug, usually the older women or children. One lady always reminds Temari that she thinks he's the reason she has softened up over the years. She always rolls her eyes.

They spread the news of the pregnancy to the villagers deciding it was best for them to do it before they figure it out on their own. Temari also wanted to let them know she wouldn't be around for awhile.

Finally, they arrived at the Kazekage's home. They entered without knocking and removed their shoes at the door. Temari lead the way to the home office to find both of her brothers sitting around with very amused looks on their faces. When they noticed the two intruders Kankuro panicked and quickly put away the notebook he was holding. "Temari! What- what are you doing here?" She tilted her head to the side.

"What do you mean? Am I not allowed in my childhood home? All I wanted to do was visit my brothers before I'm unable to for awhile." Gaara stood up and smiled.

"I'm happy you're here." He hugged his sister and then awkwardly hugged Shikamaru, which made Temari chuckle. She turned back to Kankuro and gave him a look.

He awkwardly smiled at her and got up. As Kankuro moved in to hug her she maneuvered around him to retrieve the notebook he was so eager to get rid of upon her arrival. "Aha! Let's see what you were hiding from me-" She paused when she realized what it was. Slowly, Temari turned to face her brothers. Shikamaru was confused. "Are you kidding me?" They gulped. "What made you think this was okay?!" Kankuro raised his hands in defense.

"To be fair, Temari, its really old so it shouldn't matter, right?" Shikamaru still had no idea what Temari was holding up that had caused her to be so angry.

"Oh?" Kankuro gulped again. "It's still my personal stuff no matter how old it is! I'm going to kill you both!" The two brothers ran and Temari started to chase after them but Shikamaru stood in front of her. "Move.."

"Temari, you need to calm down. You're going to stress the baby out if you don't stop." He placed his hands on either of her shoulders.

"I'm going to kill them!" He squeezed her shoulders tighter and sighed.

"No you're not. What's so bad anyway? It's just a book..." She squinted her eyes at her husband.

"Just a book? Shikamaru, they were reading my childhood journal! Without permission I might add." She said in an angry voice, however Shikamaru did not waver.

"What's the big deal? It's just a journal. Plus, it's from years ago. Surely you've moved on." She reached up and grabbed either of his wrists and squeezed.

"Um, it's actually very embarrassing and I'd rather not have people know my teenage thoughts." Shikamaru removed his hands from her and held them up in defeat.

"Fair enough. Do what you gotta do." Typically Temari would have just let it go but her pregnancy hormones were making her more angry than usual. So, she did what any sister would do and chased her brothers through the house.

While sibling bonding was happening, Shikamaru took it upon himself to read the thing that sent Temari into a rage. It was very interesting to see how his wife's brain worked at the age of when she tried to overthrow his village. She walked back into the room to see him with the journal. "No."

He smirked. "There was a stupid kid from the chunin exams with a stupid face who somehow managed to beat me." He read out loud. He could tell she was getting mad. "If I ever see him again I'm going to beat his ass." She lunged at him, causing him to jump over the chair in an attempt to avoid his wife. He turned a few pages. "I saw him again, but this time I had to save him from some idiot with a flute. He cried at the hospital. I've never seen such display of emotion. Konoha has some strange ninja but I guess I have to be nice to them now-" She finally caught up to him and was able to snatch the book from him while also knocking him on the ground.

"I swear to god I will raise this child as a single mother." He gave a nervous grin at her words and then sat up. Kankuro then reentered the room when he felt it was safe.

"I see she got you too..." He patted his in law on the back and sat down next to him on the floor. "You know, you're all over that book. It's like she was obsessed with you-" He stopped when a pen hit him in the face. "Really, Temari?" She shrugged.

Temari hid the journal in her belongings and the rest of the trip went smoothly. She was happy to spend time with her brothers even if they were idiots.

* * *

**AN: So, I originally had planned this being three chapters, but I have come to realize I need to make it longer for it to be better. So, maybe four or five chapters? We will see I suppose. **

**Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you're still enjoying. Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate all feedback. Happy holidays, everyone!**


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